Ministry of Defence

Military Bands

Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how the charge for a Royal Marine bugler to attend ceremonies, such as the annual memorial parade for Colour Sergeant Prettyjohns RMLI VC, is calculated.

Earl Howe: The costs are calculated in accordance with Treasury guidance, the Departmental Management and Charging Policy and the Tri-Service Policy for the Service Bands and Military Musicians.The Departmental Management and Charging Policy states that "The Armed Forces may be asked to participate in commemorative events organised by external bodies, such as commercial organisations and charities (including Service and ex-Service charities). Such events must not be at a cost to the Department." Charities and Ex-Service/Regimental Associations are eligible to receive an abatement for the capitation rates of military personnel. The cost of the additional insurances, transport and subsistence (if applicable) and the contract and administration fees are marginal costs and therefore cannot be abated without incurring a cost against the Department.

Department for Energy and Climate Change

Energy: Meters

Lord Browne of Belmont: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what estimate they have made of the average change in annual household energy consumption after the installation of a smart meter.

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: Our central estimate of energy savings to domestic consumers as a result of smart metering is 2.8% for electricity (prepayment and credit) and 2% for gas (credit) and 0.5% for gas (prepayment).

Department for Culture, Media and Sport

Arts: Lobbying

The Earl of Clancarty: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether arts organisations registered as charities receiving grants for arts purposes through bodies such as the Arts Council England will be exempt from their new policy restricting how such grants may be used; and if not, what assessment they have made of whether their new policy is compatible with the arm's length principle of the funding of the arts.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The anti-lobbying policy will apply to all government-funded grants, including those grants issued by the Arts Council England which are funded through the exchequer. It will not be applied to ACE grants funded through the National Lottery, which is allocated and ring-fenced to support statutory good causes. The policy does not however prevent any organisation from using their own self-generated funds as they see fit, and we are clear that it is not the intention to restrict the creative activities of any organisation.

Arts: Lobbying

The Earl of Clancarty: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether arts organisations registered as charities receiving grants for arts purposes provided through National Lottery funding will be subject to the new government policy restricting how such grants may be used.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The anti-lobbying policy covers exchequer-funded grants and does not cover Lottery funding. Arts Council England grants, funded through the National Lottery, are allocated and ring-fenced to support statutory good causes.

Cabinet Office

Freedom of Information

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have guidelines for local authorities about charging for responses to Freedom of Information requests.

Lord Bridges of Headley: The Government has not published guidance for local authorities about charging for Freedom of Information requests.

Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

Languages: Higher Education

Baroness Coussins: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will take steps to encourage the Higher Education Funding Council for England to continue supporting language study, in particular by maintaining the Year Abroad subsidy.

Baroness Evans of Bowes Park: The Government will be writing to the Higher Education Funding Council (HEFCE) shortly setting out its funding for the coming year. The HEFCE Board will make decisions on funding for universities and colleges in light of the Government’s letter. The Government continues to recognise the importance of language study and the value of studying abroad. Approximately 220,000 students have benefitted from the Erasmus Programme.

Students: Plagiarism

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Evans of Bowes Park on 26 January (HL5024), what assessment they have made of whether the specialist software Turnitin is able to detect whether a whole essay was not written by the person submitting, such as if that essay had been paid for from an essay mill.

Baroness Evans of Bowes Park: The Government has made no such assessment. The selection of particular types of software is an academic matter for individual institutions.

Exports

Baroness Burt of Solihull: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the effect that the EU referendum will have on their target of doubling exports by 2020.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: At the February European Council meeting the Government negotiated a new settlement, giving the United Kingdom a special status in a reformed European Union (EU). The Government's view is that the UK will be stronger, safer and better off remaining in a reformed EU. As part of the new settlement it was confirmed that the EU will pursue, with renewed commitment, free trade agreements with the world’s most dynamic economies, so that the tariff and regulatory barriers faced by UK companies in large and growing non-EU markets are reduced or eliminated. As an example, after the EU-South Korea deal came into force in 2011, UK exports to South Korea doubled in three years. These deals have the potential to boost UK exports significantly and can contribute to the Government’s 2020 target.